“As the WHO has stated at various forums, two of which I attended this week including yesterday [Sunday], Covid-19 is not over as can be seen from the global numbers and we must avoid reversing the hard-earned gains we have made as we strive to end the pandemic.
“We hope the reviewed health regulations and others from other departments will assist in a guided reopening of various economic and social activities, especially in the leisure and tourism areas, with less risk of super-spreaders,” said Phaahla.
The proposed amendments will include adjustments to travel requirements.
Some Twitter users agreed with Holomisa.
'It's time' — Bantu Holomisa says 'masks must fall'
It is unclear if mask-wearing regulations will be scrapped, but the minister of health says the WHO has advised against complacency
Image: Simphiwe Nkwali
As government deliberates on ending the national state of disaster, UDM leader Bantu Holomisa has called for the scrapping of compulsory face masks.
On Sunday, Holomisa tweeted a picture of him wearing a mask and wrote: “Masks must fall. It's time.”
Health minister Joe Phaahla addressed a media session on Friday on government's response to Covid-19, saying the department of health and other stakeholders were tasked with providing alternative safety measures to limit the spread and affect of the pandemic.
“The [department] has been hard at work revising its regulations to control notifiable infectious diseases and is ready to present at the next NCCC [national coronavirus command council] meeting.”
It remains unclear if mask-wearing regulations will be scrapped, but the minister said the World Health Organisation (WHO) advised against complacency.
“As the WHO has stated at various forums, two of which I attended this week including yesterday [Sunday], Covid-19 is not over as can be seen from the global numbers and we must avoid reversing the hard-earned gains we have made as we strive to end the pandemic.
“We hope the reviewed health regulations and others from other departments will assist in a guided reopening of various economic and social activities, especially in the leisure and tourism areas, with less risk of super-spreaders,” said Phaahla.
The proposed amendments will include adjustments to travel requirements.
Some Twitter users agreed with Holomisa.
READ MORE:
Has SA's Covid-19 infection rate decreased in line with government's expectations?
Zero Covid-19 deaths in past 24 hours, perhaps due to reporting backlog
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